Unless you were living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the US strikes in Venezuela, and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
If all of it is a little confusing to you, fret not — we’re here to simplify everything for you, so that you can pretend to be smart when you hang out with your kakis.
Here’s everything you need to know about the US attacks in Venezuela.
What Happened?
For starters, we have to know what exactly happened. The TLDR of it is that the US launched airstrikes in Venezuela, captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and Maduro and his wife are now facing charges in the US.
On Saturday (3 January), the US carried out airstrikes across Venezuela. Specifically, these strikes were carried out in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, as well as the areas surrounding Caracas.
One of the airstrikes’ targets was Fort Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex. The complex houses the Venezuelan defence ministry, a military academy, and housing units for Venezuelan troops and their families.
Although the death toll is yet to be confirmed, a senior Venezuelan official speaking to NY Times shared that at least 40 people were killed in the strikes.
During the strikes, Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were also captured by the US. They were flown out of Venezuela and have since been charged in the US.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi shared on X: “Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.”
Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 3, 2026
If that’s too many words to take in, Maduro is essentially being charged in relation to drugs and weapons. For those who have been keeping up with the Kardashians but not so much with current affairs, you might be thinking: “What exactly does a president have to do with drugs and weapons?”
You’ll find your answer to that question as we unpack why exactly the US launched its attacks on Venezuela in the first place.
Why Did the US Launch Attacks on Venezuela?
As simple as this question sounds, it’s really not that straightforward to answer — while the US has furnished a set of reasons for its attacks, Venezuela has also furnished a set of reasons for the US’s attacks.
According to a White House article, the US launched these attacks to “[prevent] the Western Hemisphere from becoming a safe haven for drug traffickers, Iranian proxies, or hostile regimes that endanger [the US’s] national security”.
For context, Venezuela’s connection to the drug trade has been a pain point for the US in recent years.
During President Trump’s first presidential term, Maduro was indicted in a narco-terrorism and cocaine-trafficking conspiracy, and Maduro was alleged to lead a drug cartel known as the Cartel of the Suns.
The Cartel of the Suns is a criminal network tied to senior Venezuelan officials who allegedly profited from drug trafficking and extortion.
When Trump returned to office for his second presidential term, he also labelled the Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organisation, and later signed a secret directive authorising the use of US military force against certain Latin American drug cartels.
Since early September 2025, the US has also launched countless strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, justifying the strikes on the basis that these vessels were carrying drugs.
As of 31 December 2025, at least 115 people were reportedly killed in these boat strikes since 2 September 2025.
Yet, Venezuelan statements paint another picture for the US’s reasons in launching the strikes.
Venezuelan vice-president Delcy RodrÃguez took the position that the real objective of the military pressure asserted by the US since September 2025 has never been a “war on drugs”. Instead, RodrÃguez took the position that the real objective was “regime change” and the “seizure of our energy, mineral and natural resources”.
When you take this together with President Trump’s statements after the airstrikes, you can better understand the Venezuelan position.
After the airstrikes, Trump said that the US will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” can be ensured. He also added that US oil companies would fix Venezuela’s oil infrastructure to “start making money for the country”. For context, Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves — yes, even more than Saudi Arabia.
Why is this Significant?
But why exactly has everyone been talking about this?
For one, it has been pointed out that the strikes and capture of Maduro were carried out without alerting Congress. This matters because according to the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the US president must notify the US Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops into hostilities, unless the US Congress authorises the action or declares war.
It has also been pointed out that the US’s attacks may not be justified under international law. Article 2(4) of the UN charter provides that states must refrain from using military force against other countries and must respect their sovereignty. It’s not difficult to see why there are arguments that the US’s attacks are in breach of article 2(4) of the charter.
Even more broadly, it has also been said that the US’s attack on Venezuela could set a global precedent. In particular, experts have taken the position that China would take the opportunity to invade Taiwan, bolstered by the precedent of the US’s attacks in Venezuela.
What’s Next?
For now, much is still up in the air.
Maduro is set to appear in a US court on Monday (5 January).
Trump has also stated that he could order another strike on Venezuela if Venezuela does not cooperate with the US.
Further, Trump has also threatened military action in other nations, including in Colombia and Mexico.
We’ll have to wait and see how everything pans out.
Here’s the REAL reason why everyone is hanging plushies on their bags, simplified for you:
